


The Beginning of the End

by Thewriterthatgotaway



Category: The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types, Thor - Fandom
Genre: F/M, mild swearing
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-29
Updated: 2017-08-29
Packaged: 2018-12-21 12:24:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,440
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11944122
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Thewriterthatgotaway/pseuds/Thewriterthatgotaway
Summary: All Sara Lewis wanted to do was finish high school, go to college, and move on with her life. Unfortunately, the universe isn't perfect. Living with guilt, having Hydra on her back, and keeping one aunt Darcy Lewis safe doesn't stop for her. Being Mother Nature's daughter was never easy, and wrangling scientists wasn't ever on her agenda. When everything falls the beginning of the end rises, everything and everyone will come into play. This is the start and finish of an era.





	The Beginning of the End

**Author's Note:**

> In order to understand the unfolding events, we must begin at the birth of a girl who was suppose to be the brightest hero of them all and the sixteen years leading to the descent of an uncracked world.

Sara Lewis was five when she learned about her powers. She learned that she was Mother Natures' daughter, and that her real biological mom, Lynn Lewis, died giving birth to her. She was Darcy Lewis' niece, though she had no idea who that was. 

She was only fifty percent human and fifty percent...whatever Mother Natures' fifty percent was. She could turn into water or a fiery ball of flames (or her favorite, an ice princess). 

She saw her birth certificate that same day. July 12, 2001 was her birthday and England, much to her dismay, is not where she was born. Fire can spew out of her hands, along with water, wind, and ice. She's got immune health, which does (somehow) not include the common cold. She thought Mother Nature was lying, but two weeks later, she got it. 

She learned this all in one day by the way.

\----

At age six she visits Darcy in New York. All she had to do was open a portal (which she mastered) with her hand by some freaky blue ball of energy (becuase she's six and doesn't care for the technicalities yet). She thought Darcy was the most beautiful human she ever saw. 

She had long brunette hair that flowed to her waist, and sky blue eyes. Her smile was straight out of a braces commercial, and even then she had bright red lipstick on. Ever since that first magical visit, she's been going and coming as much as she can (without getting suspicious). 

That same year she met the CE of her realm. The Council of Elementals included a bald man named Clyde and a mouthy blonde named Betty, her favorites. There were twelve of them, but she wouldn't see them all until she was sixteen. 

She saw her realm for the first time as well. The villages were separated by powers, and nobody seemed to mind. In the middle was the center of everything, where markets were held daily and everyone could see each other. 

She thinks Darcy may be the most beautiful human, but this is the most beautiful place in the universe.

\----

At age seven her teacher and the principal of her grade school bump her up a grade (she knows it's mainly becuase she's got a big mouth that beats every kid to every answer to every question, but she goes along with it). She goes out to buy a French pastry with Mother Nature that same night (becuase the woman knew what the little girl did, and she was so damn proud). 

They sat outside in the breeze of Oxford, sipping tea (becuase they were stereotypical) and laughing. A small circular table separated them, equally tiny plates with etched gold trimmings shining from the moons light. 

"I give you less credit than you deserve Sara," Mother Nature says, grinning her head off. "That bitch was really angry with you. Good job." 

They both knew she shouldn't be cursing, but they crossed that line a long time ago when Sara's first word was damn. "Thank you." Much as she tried, she still couldn't inherit a British accent. She decides her American one is better, becuase all the kids know when she's the one talking.

Little does she know it's the last time she'd see them in that very school. 

\----

When she turns eight Hydra comes looking for her. She doesn't know how they figured her or Mother Nature out, but they fled at four in the morning London time to New York. Brooklyn to be exact. 

They find a soft spot in a two bedroom apartment that they both love and settle there. Many phone calls later, short meetings with some of the members of the council, and awfully long paperwork later, she's now attending a nice public school a few blocks away. 

She meets her best friend on the first day. He smiles at her after he finishes talking to an old teacher he's visiting (his school starts a day later), his brown-blondish hair and chocolate eyes bouncing in excitement. She learns his name is Malcolm Brooks and that he's very sociable (which she hates being). He's also three years older and in the sixth grade.

She also gets reading glasses that same year, becuase she reads too many damn books. At least, that's what Mother Nature tells her. 

\-----

Fifth grade was boring for the nine year old girl. She rarely talked in class, mainly becuase she's doodling (she aces all her quizzes and tests without paying attention) and hates speaking in front of people. A lifetime fear she'll never get over. 

She tutors this girl named Kat in math, becuase she can't seem to pay attention either. Kat looks a lot like Darcy in so many ways, except there's no bright lipstick or makeup. She decided Kat Dennings is her new girl best friend, becuase she's bubbly and is the complete opposite of her. 

She cuts off tons of inches of her hip long hair to give away after watching a commercial after school to the bottom of her chest. She keeps it that way for the rest of her life. 

Malcolm somehow kept coming up in her life, and she accidentally learns he has powers like hers too (ice, much to her happiness). It's really the best mistake of the year that drives them closer together as friends.

\---

Sixth grade was worse than fifth. Seventh, on the other hand, was quite fun for her. They finally put her in an advanced class, Algebra to be exact. The eleven year old practically bounced for joy when she heard the news.

She ditched the braid for her natural dark brunette waves, and lost the braces to. She learns from her doctor in her realm that she'll be five foot one for the rest of her life, and she doesn't mind at all. The only minor downside to the year was that she never saw Kat. 

One day Malcolm introduced her to his girlfriend (becuase everyone in their freshman year of high school now has a partner). She had never felt more subconscious in her life until that very moment.

The girl, Adrienne, had gorgeous dark skin and flawless hair, her face caked in makeup that complimented her features well. She was tall, and she looked much more mature than her. She even wore heels for Christs' sake. He met her in a modeling gig (she'd be damned if he wasn't one; the boy was very handsome). 

Two weeks later he apparently broke up with her becuase she hated Sara. She wanted to apologize, but he stopped her.

"Anyone who dislikes you isn't worth a breathe." 

She teases how she'll hold him up to it, and he does from that day on.

Her crush on him begins that day too.

\------

The day she graduated eighth grade was nerve racking. Darcy had come to support her, alongside the rest of the Avengers (becuase they loved her, and she loved them). Though only one star splangled man was holding her aunts hand with the biggest lovestruck face she's ever seen. 

Mother Nature watches silently, flicking tiny ice cubes in her direction out of boredom, which she sends back every time. Tony's the loudest one (as expected), shouting over everyone. Pepper just hides her face in her sleeve, laughing to no extent. 

The face she really wants to see is Malcolm's though. She gives up when she walks to receive her diploma, but spots the smile that puts Colgate to shame waiting for her by the door, keys to his car (his modeling agency pays really good money and his parents were rich) in hand and a giant smirk on his face that sends her heart fluttering. 

Before she even goes to see Mother Nature, she flings her arms around Malcolm while she's on her toes (becuase she doesn't want to walk in the mob of students trying to see their parents. Yeah, that's why.) and he immediately wraps an arm around her waist (tightly, if she may add). 

"Congratulations beautiful," Malcolm says. He's nicknamed her that ever since the Adrienne girl entered her life, completely ruining her self-esteem. He pulls her back, with her still in his grasp, and gives her a single white rose (her favorite, if she may add).

Sara blushes (definetly not becuase she can see some muscles building up underneath his shirt). "Thanks Macky." He groans in response, but he never told her to stop calling him that, so she does.

"You're lucky I love you." 

That grabs her attention fast. They've been bantering that for a while, and every time she forces her brain to remember that they're best friends (and Mother Nature, and the Avengers). 

"I know," she finally states. She hears Tony Starks loud and clear in the background noise of all the commotion, and this time she groans. She loves him, but she's ninety percent sure he's only here to boast his ass off. 

Malcolm releases her after a few seconds, hands in his pocket. "Looks like you're friends want to say a few words to you." 

"Or earn more profits," she mutters.

He grins. "Heard that." All of a sudden he kisses her cheek, which leads to Scarlett red checks burning like fire. "See you later Sara." 

As she turns around in shock to greet her second family, that same dopey smile that was on Steve's face was no doubt on hers. And she had no intention of rubbing it off. 

\---

Freshman year proves to be very amusing for her. Not only is she annoying the hell out of her classmates (who should get in line behind her third grade teacher), but also Malcolm. 

She's been asked out at least three times before the first month of school is over, and it's all by juniors. Sure she was pretty (that's what Darcy keeps saying in defeat every morning since she's been living in the tower) but she didn't have a clue this would happen. 

She got such a kick out of watching Malcolm be the very, very overprotective best friend, but it gets under her nerves when a freshman in her biology class asks her to hot chocolate the following Saturday on a very cold December week. She was actually looking forward to it, but Malcolm denied it for her.

She ignores him for a good week before she finally opens up to him after Mother Nature threatens to take away her personal coffee maker (apparently, she loves their friendship too much). That's how she ends up at his house, frustrated more than she's ever been. 

Except when she finally glances up at his full six foot frame, she's having such a hard time keeping her thoughts to herself. His chocolate eyes make her feel like she did on the first day of fourth grade, shy and at loss for words. 

"I'm sorry Sara," Malcolm says, raking a hand through his hair. He looks bothered, like he's lost and confused as he makes her coffee. "I didn't mean to hurt you." 

She scoffs. "If you were sorry, you wouldn't have done it. And I know you enjoyed it." When the machines done, he grabs cream and sugar from the seperate compartment in the pantry just for her. "It's-" 

"Two teaspoons of sugar and two half and half creams, I know," he finishes. 

She's stunned temporarily, but recovers quickly, becuase no Lewis woman doesn't get the last word. "The point of this whole arrangement was for you to understand that I have just as much of a right to go on a date as you do, and that you never answer for me unless I let you." 

She swears his jaw hits the floor, and hers probably does as well. She's never spoken with as much authority as she did now. If Mother Nature were watching, she'd be damn proud. 

Malcolm finally figured out his words, silently handing her the mug of fresh coffee. "I know you have the right to Sara, but it's hard watching any guy ask you out." She thinks he might say it, and it gets her hopes up real quick. "You're my best friend, and I don't ever want to see you get hurt." There goes her heart, shattered. Ironically, he didn't realize what he just did. "They don't deserve you, becuase I know you can do much better. And you're still so young." 

If she wasn't angry before, she's definetly blowing steam now. "That's what you have to say for yourself?! I just gave a whole fucking speech on empowerment and equality and that's what you say?!" She's going hysteric, ballistic even, but she's been holding it in for too long. "You dated around exactly this time with Adrienne and now I'm too young. That's rich." 

He sighs. "You're thirteen." 

"You were fourteen," she counters, gulping down the coffee like it was her last sip of anything. 

"They're humans." 

"So was Adrienne." 

"They're..." he doesn't say anything for a while, he's still trying to rack up some excuse and she smiles in triumph. 

"They're what?" She asks mockingly, setting her mug down firm on the marble countertop. She's enjoying the sweet victory of silence as each passing minute goes by. When ten minutes fly by she's certain that he'd given up, and he did. 

The smile on her lips fell short when she saw his frown, and the sparkle in his eyes dimmed. He cared about her, and he just wanted to protect her. She knew she was too young, she knew she wasn't ready. She let her pride get in her way becuase she wanted to prove herself, and she hurt him. 

Unable to say anything she opened a portal and walked through without so much as a wave, guilt washing over her. He wasn't innocent either, and he was stubborn just like her. He put her before his girlfriends, made sure she didn't feel discomfort or unwanted. He put her before everything, and she was a fool. Granted he was wrong too, becuase she could very well make her own choices, but she walks a long the Hudson Valley River in stubbornness. 

That was their first fight since that fateful day in Brooklyn's (huge) elementary school. It doesn't last long, becuase she surrenders first (for the last time) and buys him two chocolate eclairs from France as a peace treaty the next morning. She also discovers that Hydra is still looking for her, but that's another story.

She gets a text at nine o' clock after shooting Clint's arrows at a picture of Starks face on a target (with no regrets) and strangling scientists alongside Darcy. She thinks Malcolm may be the death of her, becuase she learns that white roses were sent to her apartment in Brooklyn (which Mother Nature refuses to give up since most if not all of their stuff is still there. They just prefer the beds Stark provides in the tower.) and that he'd take her out (as friends) to her favorite cafe for hot chocolate.

And for some reason, there's an attached picture of him with flashing cameras in the backgrounds, grinning with his food in hand. She saves it as his new contact picture.

\---

Sophomore year definetly beats freshman year by a long shot. A very long shot. 

Six months after her fourteenth birthday she finds herself visiting Oxford alone, strolling next to the university that she adores when she almost trips over air (a Lewis gene that nobody escapes from as demonstrated by her aunt). Before she could spill her (second) coffee all over the pavement someone catches her, and she's thanking them profusely when she looks up.

The guy, maybe a year older than her (which she later finds out is correct) has mousy brown hair, short and somehow still in place with the harsher than usual wind. His eyes are green, such a pretty green that she thinks it beats Darcy's blue. His eyebrows are furrowed in amusement, and he's definetly six feet tall (exactly). 

Nonetheless she keeps rambling her apologies, stuttering over every other word (a British guy at this age is somehow remarkably too good looking to be true). 

She finally spews out a word in English (because when she's nervous she speaks French), and it comes out as more of a squeak than anything. "S-sorry." 

He chuckles at her, clearly entertained. "There's nothing to apologize for." He steadied her easily, and she's about to part ways in embarrassment when he extends his hand. "I'm Derrick." 

She shakes it way too gleefully, but he doesn't seem to mind. "Sara, with no h." 

"A pretty name for a pretty girl." 

She rolls her eyes. "Pick up lines don't work on me buddy." She's never been this easygoing with a stranger before, with her being a stuttering shy mess. "Maybe you'll get the next girl." 

"Is that a challenge?" He asks. 

"Maybe it is," Sara answers (she swears Tony and Darcy's cockiness are rubbing off on her). "Why, are you chicken?"

He cocks a brow. "I'll have you know that I never turn down a challenge." 

"Then it's settled. Winner gets whatever they please within certain boundaries." 

Needless to say, she spends her lunch break the day before she goes back to school with a cute Brit and a new number in her contacts. Lewis women never lose a challenge, ever. It's a great lesson to learn in life. 

On a completely unrelated note, he becomes her new meme best friend (sorry Clint) and says yes to a date two days after her fifteenth birthday (in person, becuase she finds herself teleporting to England a lot more often). 

The true highlight was Kats' face after showing her his contact picture. Sophomore year ranks number one by far. 

\---

Junior year proves to be her artistic year (a common interest she's shared with Steve) after realizing that she might actually have talent (after eight years of pestering from Darcy that she does). 

It also proves to be the year of secrets. For the past two years Mothee Natures been out more than in for her, and that she's seen Natasha genuinely smile more than she has seen her legal guardian at all. She knows she's keeping something from her, but she pushes the thought away to steer her head towards her education.

She finds herself speaking to Kat more than Malcolm now that he's in college, even though they've barely texted for the last few months due to their conflicting schedules. She did, however, notice that it wasn't until after celebrating his eighteenth last February that the connection was really losing its spark. 

Kat tells her as bluntly as one could that she's bi-sexual on her seventeenth birthday in October. Sara shrugs, gives her a thumbs up, and eats a piece of cake, because she already figured it out and supports her no matter what (after she caught her flirting with a girl named Beth from her physics class). Kat grins and hugs her, almost leading her to choking on said cake. 

She's been harboring a secret of her own as well. Her boyfriend of three months doesn't know it, becuase they really haven't talked about it, but Kat's the only person who knows he exists in her life. Not even Malcolm, becuase she remembers the last time a date was brought up during freshman year. 

To be fair, her relationship makes her feel so free and loose that she barely wants anyone to know (except Kat, becuase Kat gives the best damn reactions in the world). He lets her be her (somewhat surprisingly childish) self without any judgement or expectations (here's to looking at you Council). She's not Mother Natures daughter with him, she's Sara Lewis. A free spirited, young thinker with a soft heart, wide rimmed reading glasses, and intelligence that she takes so much pride in.

He's good to her as well. He's nice and respects her, whether it be her decisions or boundaries, or views on the world. It turns out he's also the best remedy for sick days or whenever she needs to vent. He's not completely human either, being from Asgard (no wonder he's ripped and so sweet). She likes him more for what's on the inside than outside, and finds herself falling somewhere she doesn't mind at all. 

When she tells him who she really is, his same dopey grin that he's carried on their walk doesn't change. "I always knew you weren't a true Brit." His response is a playful punch to the forearm and the sincerest smile she's ever had on her face. Even JARVIS (who Tony programmed on to her phone) was thrown for a loop, explaining that when she scanned him, he wasn't fazed. He really did like her for her. 

She tries not to act abnormal around the Avengers, attempting to not move a muscle when she's reading his texts. Another thing she likes about him is that he's not clingy. They both need space sometimes and stay in touch whenever they can, but they never go out of their way. She finds it ten times more relaxing. 

On the first day of November she's doing yoga by herself when a text pops up on her screen. She keeps it on for emergencies, but she's been too busy with her life to talk to Derrick for the past two weeks. Seconds later she's grinning like the Cheshire Cat at a Stewie meme from Family Guy, with Stewie in his bed shaking the cradle and screaming to "get back here and love me!". Except she's not alone. 

Her phone is in Natasha's hands, and she's internally kicking herself. What's worse is that she keeps scrolling upwards, her expressionless face scanning their conversations. It's a total invasion of privacy, and after a moment of remembering that she has powers, captures it with her ice arm she created. 

That doesn't change the fact that Natasha's gathered enough information to put two and two together. "Malcolm couldn't wait another month to approve of someone." 

"What?" She asks, confused in more ways than one.

"We placed a bet on you two. I can't believe I have to give fucking Stark two hundred dollars." 

She rubs the back of her neck sheepishly. "Actually, Malcolm has no clue about this." 

Natasha's eyes widen, and it's scaring her. A bad-ass hero like her was stunned by her of all people. "Interesting." A smile twitches on her lips, sending fear down Sara's spine. It's creepy to say the least. "Well I'm happy for you." 

"You are?!" Don't get her wrong, she loves Natasha. Natasha loves her too, which is why she's been very clear about her scarce dating life and how much danger she's putting the poor guy in (because mark her words, she'd kill him if a tear ever fell down her cheek from him). 

Natasha nods. "Of course." She turns to leave, telling her something over her shoulders. "As long as you know the guidelines and understand that the men will hunt him down as well." 

Her eyes go bugshot, her pupils widening in horror. Before Natasha could even get her other foot out of the door she shot ice out of her hand. It didn't stop there. She was in such a panic that she didn't realize how much she really put into it, and it ran up until it was underneath her chin, freezing the rest of her body. It reminds her of something she did in her past, and she mentally shudders. 

Worry and concern quickly took over as she unfroze the female assasin, memories of what she did racing back to her. A flame of fire almost burned her, but nobody got hurt. She was lucky to say the least. 

She attempted to form words on her tongue but they wouldn't spill, and for once in the past ten years tears were on the verge of forming. On her part, Natasha looked unfazed by the whole ordeal. "You could've just said don't." 

Her eyes narrow, her heart still beating at what she believes to be an impressive rate. "I could've killed you." 

She shrugs. "It's nothing new." She dusts her suit off before walking away, waving Sara off. She swore the woman sometimes had no feelings at all. That, or she's been putting them off for so long that they've faded away. 

Her own emotions were ringing through her body. She was folding her arms over her chest and took a deep breathe, wiping away tears. She didn't plan on being reminded of that day. She never wanted to. 

Sara vows to write everything down. 

\-----

When Sara turns sixteen, all hell breaks lose. She had the rest of the (very overprotective) Avengers (with very clearly intentions) swear to try and not hurt her boyfriend. She likes him, and he likes her in a different long distance relationship type of way that hasn't been explored. 

It's honestly amazing. The feeling of writing down all her secrets and showing them to everyone feels amazing, becuase it feels like she can breathe again. 

She tells them about the time she almost burned a post office when she was four, and how she always writes a letter to her dead mother on her birthday. She tells them everything except for the incident. She's still not ready to tell, especially not today.

Then things turn for the worst. Hydra's at her ass more than ever after several spotting, and Mother Nature isn't safe either. She's been restricted from visiting and teleporting everywhere, including England. The real terror comes when Malcolm met Derrick. And when he did, he wasn't even close to the word anger. 

It was all Tony Starks' fault. The asshole got drunk and made a very public confession to everyone that day, including said ex best friend. At the very end of the night, when everyone else was asleep, Malcolm and her argued for over an hour that day, throwing insults back and forth in his apartment while his mother was away. Mostly Sara. She was sick and tired of hearing what she couldn't do. 

Sara didn't intend to hurt him, but she was outraged. Everyone seemed to push her wherever they wanted. Do this but not that, go here but not there. For once she didn't cared about what anyone said, she did things her way. She cried until she ran out of tears, and watched the sun set on top of a building in England.

And by God she felt better. Six minutes later things had gone terribly wrong. 

This is the beginning of the end.


End file.
